Austin news

• Texas transgender community members decry federal "Don't Say Gay" bill

  21-10-2022 23:38 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Tuesday, 33 House Republicans, including five Texas representatives, introduced legislation to ban the use of Federal funds for “sexually-oriented” material. It likely would not pass considering the current political makeup of the House of Representatives, but some critics of the document call it a federal “Don’t Say Gay” bill. “Stop the Sexualization of Children Act"“The Democrat Party and their cultural allies are on a mis
  
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• Westlake pummels Austin High 70-0 for 48th consecutive win

  21-10-2022 23:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Westlake locked up its 36th consecutive playoff appearance and 48th consecutive win with a 70-0 victory over Austin High on Friday at Chaparral Stadium.Westlake junior running back Jack Kayser scored on a 44-yard run 45 seconds into the game, and that's really where the game both started and ended. Kayser had four touches in the first half and scored three touchdowns, two rushing and one receiving. Kayser now has 15 rushing touchdown on the season.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay
  
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• Westlake hosts Austin High in district play, vying for 48th consecutive win

  21-10-2022 23:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Coming off a hard-fought 29-10 win over Dripping Springs last week, Westlake aims to notch its 48th consecutive win at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Austin High at Chaparral Stadium.With three weeks left in the regular season counting games Friday, Westlake is in a prime position to claim the district title. The Maroons, meanwhile, are continuing to rebuild its program around some talented young players. They beat Akins 35-7 last week.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on spor
  
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• LIVE: Westlake hosts Austin High in district play, vying for 48th consecutive win

  21-10-2022 23:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Coming off a hard-fought 29-10 win over Dripping Springs last week, Westlake aims to notch its 48th consecutive win at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Austin High at Chaparral Stadium.With three weeks left in the regular season counting games Friday, Westlake is in a prime position to claim the district title. The Maroons, meanwhile, are continuing to rebuild its program around some talented young players. They beat Akins 35-7 last week.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on spor
  
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• Need a thrill? Here's 7 haunted places in Texas you can visit

  21-10-2022 22:58 via kxan.com
  
  AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR) — The thought of visiting a haunted location, with its deathly air and eerie dark vibe, can be enticing to someone and completely bone-chilling to another. These local restaurants and bars feature on Yelp’s list of most haunted in TexasThe silence of a dark hotel hallway, or just the simple knowledge that someone had died in a tragic way within those walls, are just some of the reasons why these locations in Texas are forever marked as "haunted."The Driskill Ho
  
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• Austin balancing need for bicycle traffic lanes, driver needs during upgrades

  21-10-2022 22:33 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Cyclists are being forced to dodge traffic, and drivers are unhappy about new bike lanes.
  KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes looked at how the City of Austin is trying to balance the concerns of both groups while keeping the roads safe for everyone during upgrades.Greg Anderson, aka Walkable Austin on social media, is one of the rare Austinites who gets around without a car. But not without frustration."The biggest challenge right now is wherever you see a share row —
  
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• Legislation aims to address dangerous military housing conditions

  21-10-2022 21:55 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Lawmakers want to confront the dangerous conditions that some military families say they have been living in. A new bill aims to provide more oversight of privatized military housing and prevent abuses.Kate Needham with Armed Forces Housing Advocates fights for military families plagued by unsafe living conditions including toxic mold, water leaks, and hazardous damage."It's quite frankly a national security issue. We have to have a safe place for our military servic
  
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• Remember these old Austin spots? Nostalgic restaurants, businesses no longer around

  21-10-2022 20:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin landscape is constantly changing, with new bars, restaurants, coffee shops and more springing up to call one of the fastest-growing cities in America home.
  But over time, some local favorites have been lost, whether it be because of the pandemic, rising rent costs or new developments.
  We asked KXAN viewers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to reminisce about beloved spots no longer around. Below is a compilation of the most popular answers.RIP weird: ‘Ceme
  
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• How private jets are being managed this year after 2021 F1 fans caused Austin airport delays

  21-10-2022 20:56 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Formula One weekend brings in a record-breaking number of travelers to Austin from across the country and around the world.Austin Bergstrom International Airport hit a passenger record Monday following weekend two of the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Before that, the record was set the Monday after last year's F1 race.Sam Haynes, an airport spokesperson, expects Monday after this year's F1 race to top it all."We're thinking that we could see anywhere upwards of 36,000
  
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• Formula 1 Austin: What to know about the US Grand Prix race weekend

  21-10-2022 20:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Start your engines: The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix is returning to Austin's Circuit of The Americas Friday through Sunday.The annual motor racing event draws hundreds of thousands of people to the Lone Star State, with a record 400,000 fans attending last year's race weekend. Whether you’re headed to Formula 1 or not, watch out for these traffic changesIn February, Formula 1 and Circuit of the Americas renewed their contract to keep the race weekend in town un
  
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• Austin ISD to receive more than $490K to improve school safety

  21-10-2022 19:25 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Independent School District will soon receive more than $493,000 in funding to help improve school safety measures. U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced the funding award Thursday.“This targeted legislation addresses specific concerns that have led to recent mass shootings, including the need for additional mental health services and school safety resources,” Cornyn said. An Austin school fails to meet standards during school safety auditThe district wi
  
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• Feeling tired? Expert says do these things to train your brain to sleep better

  21-10-2022 18:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Daylight Saving Time is next month, the day we change our clocks and ‘fall back’ one hour. The change can also mean a change in your sleep patterns but before you reach for that extra cup of coffee in the middle of the day, one neuroscience expert suggests this advice.“What our body needs is a good power nap or what we like to say a brain tapping session because we need to reboot our brain,” said Dr. Patrick Porter.A power nap should be no more than 20 mi
  
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• New 'I Voted' sticker with bluebonnet debuts Monday in Travis County

  21-10-2022 17:40 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — When the in-person early voting period begins Monday, voters who head to the polls in Travis County will find a new version of the familiar "I Voted" sticker featuring a springtime staple.
  The Travis County Clerk's Office launched a design contest earlier this year asking local college students to create a new sticker, and Ashwara Pillai's submission won. The University of Texas at Austin senior made time during the middle of her finals week to craft a design
  
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• F1 returns to Austin with economic impact that surpasses ACL Music Fest, SXSW

  21-10-2022 16:37 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) — The Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix is back in Austin. This weekend, Circuit of The Americas is hosting its 10th F1 race and its first under a new contract that runs through 2026.By at least one estimate, the U.S. Grand Prix has a bigger economic impact on the Austin area than either Austin City Limits Music Festival or South by Southwest.The race last year had a total economic impact of around $980 million, including $434 million in direct spending. That&
  
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• Astros head to New York with 2-0 ALCS lead over Yankees

  21-10-2022 16:05 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (KIAH) — The Astros are two wins away from another chance at another World Series win. That's thanks to a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.The game at Minute Maid Park Thursday night featured stellar pitching from starter Framber Valdez and two relievers.Valdez would likely have pitched seven shutout innings had it not been for his own double error in the fourth inning that led to the two unearned Yankees' runs.Manager Dusty Bak
  
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• Circuit of The Americas gears up for record turnout

  21-10-2022 15:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Hundreds of thousands of folks will flock to Circuit of The Americas for the United States Grand Prix.Tickets sold out months in advance, but this year COTA made major changes to improve its spectator experience for its 10th anniversary.COTA is doubling down the number of shuttle buses it'll have for fans. It's hoping to enhance the experience for fans in the stands, adding over 300 shuttles to a total fleet of over 600. Circuit of the Americas gears up for Formula 1 race b
  
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• Poll: Abbott leads O'Rourke by 11 points in race for Texas governor

  21-10-2022 14:33 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott captured a wider margin of 11 points over Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke in the Texas gubernatorial race, according to the latest Texas Politics Project poll released Friday morning.
  The project said it surveyed 1,200 self-declared registered voters in Texas from Oct. 7-17, and the numbers came out 54% to 43% favoring Abbott. Texas governor’s debate: Fact checking Abbott, O’RourkeLast month's Texas Politics Projects poll showed Abbott with
  
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• Meet the candidates for Austin City Council District 3

  21-10-2022 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Six candidates are up for consideration to represent District 3 on the Austin City Council. Here's a look at each candidate's platforms and key issues informing their campaigns. MORE: Texas Elections HQJosé VelásquezKey campaign focuses outlined on Velásquez's website include:Addressing Austin's housing crisis through anti-gentrification measures and built off "real-life experiences of lifelong and new residents alike"Expanding high-speed broadband inte
  
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• Meet the candidates for Austin City Council District 1

  21-10-2022 14:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Four candidates will appear on Austin's District 1 voter ballots this November. Here is a look at the candidates vying for office and their key platform focuses. Election HQ: More on Texas ElectionsMisael D. RamosOn Ramos' campaign website, key issues he honed in on include:Collaborating with communities and nonprofits to create affordable housingUpdating the Land Development Code to prioritize affordable housing along major corridors to enhance community accessDevelop an i
  
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• 2 Central Texas school districts ask voters to approve tax rates on their ballots

  21-10-2022 13:59 via kxan.com
  
  CENTRAL TEXAS (KXAN) — Leander ISD and Pflugerville ISD are each asking their voters to approve property tax rates in the Nov. 8 election. The voter-approved rates could add millions of dollars to each district's budget if a majority of voters vote "for" Proposition B.
  Leander and Pflugerville school districts said if the voter-approved rates pass, the overall property tax rate will still decrease from the prior year. However, increased property values will still increase a property owner'
  
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• What does the Texas Railroad Commissioner do, and who's running?

  21-10-2022 12:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Starting Monday when early voting kicks off, Texans will choose who they want as the state's next railroad commissioner — a race that typically doesn't garner much attention for an office that has nothing to do with railroads and everything to do with oil and gas regulation.Despite the misleading name, the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is the primary state agency responsible for regulating Texas' oil gas industry. The three-member commission has jurisdict
  
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• Warm and windy weekend ahead of next rain-maker

  21-10-2022 12:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A warm and windy weekend ahead but our next storm system is only days away.Today will feature plenty of sunshine, warm temperatures (upper 80s) and breezy winds. These gusty south winds bring a noticeable bump in humidity matched with even warmer temperatures. Afternoon highs will reach or top 90 degrees Saturday and Sunday in the Austin area, leading to a sweaty Formula 1 race and Austin FC playoff game.Warm and windy for Formula 1 weekend at COTAAs of today, Austin is currentl
  
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• Warm and windy ... then wet

  21-10-2022 12:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Another sunny sky greeted early risers with morning low temperatures ranging from the upper 40s to upper 50s. Both Austin locations recorded lows of 56°.Ours is a warm and windy forecast for the weekend. Wind gusts around 15 to 20+ mph are likely this afternoon, increasing to 20 to 30 mph tomorrow. It's even windier Sunday with gusts as high as 25 to 35 mph being predicted.Warm and windy for racing fansAs of today, Austin is currently tied with 2011 for the most number of 90
  
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• Warm and windy in Austin this weekend ... then wet

  21-10-2022 12:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Another sunny sky greeted early risers with morning low temperatures ranging from the upper 40s to upper 50s. Both Austin locations recorded lows of 56°.Ours is a warm and windy forecast for the weekend. Wind gusts around 15 to 20+ mph are likely this afternoon, increasing to 20 to 30 mph tomorrow. It's even windier Sunday with gusts as high as 25 to 35 mph being predicted.Warm and windy for racing fansAs of today, Austin is currently tied with 2011 for the most number of 90
  
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• Texas high school football scores for Thursday, Oct. 20

  21-10-2022 05:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Vandegrift positioned itself to make a run at the district title with a 29-7 win over Cedar Ridge on Thursday at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex.Elgin upended Pflugerville 17-14 on the road and LBJ thumped Travis 82-0.Regents remained unbeaten in TAPPS play 63-7 over San Antonio St. Anthony's and Anderson topped Del Valle 38-21.Check out the rest of the scores from around Texas below.Scores from around Central TexasAnderson 38, Del Valle 21Elgin 17, Pflugerville 14LBJ 82,
  
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• 'Let her speak'; Drama unfolds during public comment at Round Rock ISD board meeting

  21-10-2022 05:30 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) -- Tensions were high at Thursday night's Round Rock ISD board meeting.
  Tatiana Alfano spoke to the board during public comment about the use of restraint, after video appears to show an administrator tossing her 14-year-old son back into a quiet room, where he slid into the wall and hit his head.
  KXAN was at tonight's meeting.
  After Alfano's two-minutes were up, she continued to speak and was asked to stop. Some board members wanted to let her finish, others did not, an
  
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• Austin Police Association: Not enough patrol officers for back-to-back big events

  21-10-2022 04:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As thousands of people flood to Austin for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, many are also visiting Austin bars and congregating downtown. It comes after two weekends of thousands more visited for Austin City Limits Music Festival.
  Peter Wickenheisser, who has now been to Austin a handful of times for races, says he's figured out the spots in Austin he's comfortable spending time at versus the ones he's going to avoid."I've seen chaos in all sorts of places in the world an
  
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• Washington Huddle: Jake's Fantasy Takes Week 7

  21-10-2022 04:20 via kxan.com
  
  Fantasy Football expert Jake Ciely of The Athletic joins WAVY Sports Director Craig Loper for Week 7 of the Washington Huddle.This year, Ciely joins Loper from his Athletic studio.More Huddle content: https://www.wavy.com/washington-huddle/
  
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• Lake Travis ISD: 2022 bond would add new high school, elementary schools

  21-10-2022 04:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) —  Lake Travis ISD is expected to grow by more than 4,000 students over the next few years, but can the district handle the growth?"We are expecting tremendous growth right now in Lake Travis," said Lake Travis ISD Superintendent Paul Norton. "Knowing those students are coming, we have to have classroom space for those students and activity space for those students."The $703 million bond package would go toward a new high school and two new elementary schools. It would a
  
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• Report: DPS captain gave order to wait to enter classrooms during Robb Elementary shooting

  21-10-2022 04:03 via kxan.com
  
  This story is part of a KXAN series of reports called "Stop Mass Shootings," providing context and exploring solutions surrounding gun violence in the wake of the deadly Uvalde school shooting. We want our reports to be a resource for Texans, as well as for lawmakers who are convening a month after the events in Uvalde to discuss how the state should move forward. Explore all "Stop Mass Shootings" stories by clicking here.UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) -- A high-ranking Texas Department of Publi
  
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• Two-vehicle crash in southeast Austin sends multiple people to hospital, shuts down Stassney Lane

  21-10-2022 04:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Six people were rushed to area hospitals after a southeast Austin collision Thursday night on Stassney Lane, Austin-Travis County EMS said.In a tweet thread, ATCEMS said three people suffered life-threatening injuries, two had serious injuries and another had potentially serious injuries after two vehicles collided at 5946 E. Stassney Lane. The street is closed from Teri Road to Burleson Road, Austin Police said. ATCEMS first tweeted about the wreck at 7:41 p.m.ATCEMS said
  
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• 2-vehicle crash in southeast Austin sends multiple people to hospital

  21-10-2022 04:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Six people were rushed to area hospitals after a southeast Austin collision Thursday night on Stassney Lane, Austin-Travis County EMS said.In a tweet thread, ATCEMS said three people suffered life-threatening injuries, two had serious injuries and another had potentially serious injuries after two vehicles collided at 5946 E. Stassney Ln. The street is closed from Teri Road to Burleson Road, Austin Police said. ATCEMS first tweeted about the wreck at 7:41 p.m.ATCEMS said th
  
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• Williamson County names new EMS medical director

  21-10-2022 02:04 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Williamson County announced Dr. Taylor Ratcliff of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center would be the new medical director for its Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
  Ratcliff will be the county’s third medical director since the founding of the service in 1975. He is replacing Dr. Jeff Jarvis, who served the county for 11 years.Williamson County Crime Scene Unit receives best laboratory awardAs medical director, Ratcliff will support EMS personnel a
  
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• Whether you're headed to Formula One or not, watch out for these traffic changes

  21-10-2022 01:20 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — We are on the cusp of what's expected to be one of Austin airport's busiest travel weekends—ever.Formula One's U.S. Grand Prix launches with practice tomorrow, and the festivities continue through the weekend.Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected and have already started trickling in."Where you guys from?" John Weaver asks another group while at a food truck.Weaver is here with his dad, John Weaver, and brother-in-law, Jeff Drajka."Our family has ha
  
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• Whether you're headed to Formula 1 or not, watch out for these traffic changes

  21-10-2022 01:20 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — We are on the cusp of what's expected to be one of Austin airport's busiest travel weekends ever.Formula 1's U.S. Grand Prix launches with practice Friday. The festivities continue through the weekend. Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected and have already started trickling in."Where you guys from?" John Weaver asked another group while at a food truck.Weaver is here with his dad, John Weaver, and brother-in-law, Jeff Drajka."Our family has had a really s
  
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• Texas sues Google for capture, use of biometric data without consent

  21-10-2022 01:06 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxon sued Google for the capture and use of biometric data of Texans without obtaining their consent, documents show.
  According to a news release from the Texas Attorney General, the lawsuit claims that Google collected "millions of biometric identifiers" from Texans through services like Google Photos, Google Assistant and Nest Hub Max.The biometric data allegedly captured includes voiceprints and face geometry records, the relea
  
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• Dripping Springs ISD bond focuses on new facilities for growing area

  21-10-2022 01:05 via kxan.com
  
  HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — There is $481.1 million available to Dripping Springs ISD if voters pass the bond on the Hays County November ballot. The 2022 bond would include funding for new facilities.Facilities that DSISD parent Ashley Bobel said are desperately needed."I don't want our kids to go to classrooms with 40 kids. They're not going to get the quality education that people moved here to get," Bobel said.Bobel is concerned about school capacity with the growth in the area."It's i
  
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• UT researcher talks about the future of robot and human interactions

  21-10-2022 00:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — There’s no short supply of media imagining a dystopian future where humans and robots have a less-than-savory relationship. Junfeng Jiao, an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at UT Austin, said it’s not a matter of if robots will be an integral part of our lives but when. Delivery robots coming to UT Austin campus for 5-year studyLet’s just hope for WALL-E over the killer robotic “dogs” from Black Mirror. “Like i
  
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• New water utility law prohibits late fees, disconnection during extreme cold weather

  21-10-2022 00:24 via kxan.com
  
  Austin (KXAN) -- On Thursday, Texas adopted a rule that prohibits non-municipal public water and sewer utilities from disconnecting customers during extreme cold weather emergencies.This means that those utilities cannot issue late fees for unpaid bills due during such emergencies, including for bills that were previously due.Winter forecast released by NOAA: What to expect in Central TexasThe Public Utility Commission of Texas defines extreme cold weather emergencies as periods beginning when t
  
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• No. 1 Texas Longhorns fall for first time this season at Iowa State

  21-10-2022 00:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Iowa State took down the giant Wednesday night.It took five sets, but the Cyclones knocked off No. 1 Texas in Ames to hand the Longhorns their first loss of the season.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersIt was a rollercoaster ride that underscored how hard it is to win on the road in the Big 12 Conference. Set scores were 25-18, 25-27, 25-12, 25-27, 15-10 in favo
  
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